Western Morning News (Saturday)
Cliff protection scheme ‘will last 100 years’
PLANS to protect a fragile stretch of Devon cliffs and coast from collapse have been agreed.
Protection is needed for the East Devon seaside town of Sidmouth to stop more of the distinctive red cliffs from falling into the sea.
An East Devon District Council advisory group has agreed to a plan which will lead to 113 residential and 70 commercial properties being better protected from increased flood and erosion risk. The scheme includes constructing a breakwater, improving the slipway and building a beach ramp.
The Sidmouth and East Beach Management Plan aims to reduce the impact and frequency of the cliff falls which have been a regular occurrence, with homes on Cliff Road slowly losing their gardens to the sea.
The works will include the construction of an offshore breakwaters/ island similar to the two existing breakwaters, plus a “beach recharge” to increase existing beach levels using material dredged from offshore.
On the Esplanade and the Ham area, at the eastern end of the beach, a replacement splash-wall on the landward side of the existing road near the lifeboat station will be constructed.
West of that, the existing splash way will be replaced with better foundations, and the wall rebuilt to approximately the existing height.
The far eastern end of the Ham and river training wall will have remedial works carried out and an improved larger slipway, specifically to provide speedier lifeboat launching.
On East Beach, there will be the construction of a 120m long “super groyne” and substantial beach recharge, again using beach material dredged from offshore.
It was also agreed that a proposal for a beach ramp at Chit Rocks will be incorporated into the Beach Management Scheme to provide easy access for families with young children and wheelchair access to the beach.
East Devon District Councillor Geoff Jung, chair of the Sidmouth Beach Management Advisory Group, said: “I am really pleased that the group has supported the recommendation to move onto the next stage for this important and critical project. For the last four years I have been the Councillor overseeing this project and was told at the very beginning it was a challenge! It certainly has been a challenge with the funding complexities, Covid lockdowns, escalating material costs and now the dramatic fuel costs rise.”
He said climate change was hardly a consideration when the earlier schemes were being considered in the 1990s, he added.
“Now we understand that the effects of the sea and weather will have serious detrimental consequences on the town of Sidmouth, but this plan is designed to protect properties and residents, to retain its character and unique charm for the next 100 years.”
He said changes to the scheme had been made possible by changes in the UK Government funding calculator, extra contributions from the town, District, County Councils, and other Government Agencies.
A funding gap of £1.75m is being underwritten by East Devon District Council. Work is expected to begin in May 2025, and be completed by October of the following year.